PC leader accuses Manitoba premier of dragging feet on Spruce Woods byelection

Bartley Kives · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 18, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Manitoba Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan says Premier Wab Kinew is dragging his feet connected calling a byelection successful Spruce Woods, which has been without an MLA since March.

The southwestern Manitoba constituency has had nary practice since erstwhile PC MLA Grant Jackson resigned connected March 24 to tally successful April's federal election.

Jackson is present the Conservative MP for Brandon-Souris, and the PCs person nominated enactment volunteer Colleen Robbins to tally successful a Spruce Woods byelection that indispensable beryllium held by Sept. 24.

In a missive to Kinew connected Tuesday, Khan requested the premier telephone this byelection arsenic soon arsenic possible.

"Summer is an important clip successful agrarian constituencies afloat of fairs, festivals and events, and whomever should beryllium elected to correspond Spruce Woods deserves this accidental to prosecute with their constituents," Khan wrote.

Khan said Kinew made comparatively speedy byelection calls pursuing the resignation of PC MLA Heather Stefanson successful Tuxedo and the decease of NDP MLA Nello Altomare successful Transcona.

The Tuxedo byelection, which was won by the NDP's Carla Compton, was held 43 days aft Stefanson resigned, portion the Transcona byelection, which Shannon Corbett won for the NDP, was held within 63 days of Altomare's death, Khan noted.

"It's clear … [Kinew] thought helium had a accidental to triumph Tuxedo, truthful helium called it early. He thought helium had a accidental of winning Transcona, truthful helium called it early. Now, this is going to beryllium much than 120 days," Khan said successful an interview.

The Opposition person accused the premier of holding disconnected connected making the telephone due to the fact that Spruce Woods is simply a blimpish constituency, wherever the NDP is improbable to beryllium competitive. 

No enactment different than the PCs has won the southwestern Manitoba constituency since it was created successful 2011. Former MLAs Jackson and Cliff Cullen won much than 60 per cent of the ballot successful the constituency successful each of the four provincial elections held implicit the past 14 years.

"It's wide that Kinew is avoiding it. He doesn't privation to telephone it," Khan said. "He wants to resistance it connected arsenic agelong arsenic possible, which is not just to the Manitobans successful immoderate constituency."

Ryan Stelter, a spokesperson for Kinew, said successful a connection the Spruce Woods byelection "will beryllium called successful owed people according to the mean timeline."

That means ensuring a ballot takes spot earlier the six-month deadline for a Spruce Woods byelection, helium said, which makes Sept. 24 the latest imaginable day for the byelection.

The NDP has not declared a nominee for Spruce Woods. The Liberal Party has nominated pedagogue Stephen Reid arsenic its candidate. PC nominee Robbins has been endorsed by erstwhile MLA Jackson.